Fake Certificate: ICPC
Fake Certificate: ICPC arraigns NSCDC
Official
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC), has arraigned one Ocheme Adamu Andrew, before
Honourable Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi of the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) High Court 33, sitting in Gudu, Abuja on a 3-count
charge bordering on alleged forgery.
Mr. Andrew, was accused of procuring and presenting a forged
National Diploma (ND) Certificate, from Federal Polytechnic, Idah,
Kogi State, with which he used to secure employment with the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Trouble began to brew for the defendant when in 2016 the
Commission acted on a letter from the immediate past Minister of
Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, urging it to scrutinize the
credentials of officers of the parastatals under his ministry.
ICPC’s investigation activities revealed that the ND Certificate
presented by Mr. Andrew before he was employed by NSCDC was
forged.
In a Charge No: CR/278/2019, counsel to ICPC, Agbili Ezenwa
Kingsley, told the court that the accused person’s action was
contrary to and punishable under Section 25 of the Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, and Sections 364,
366 and 368 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT, 2006.
Part of the charge reads; “That you Ocheme Adamu Andrew on or
about 2005 at Abuja fraudulently used a certificate of National
Diploma from Federal Polytechnic, Idah, as a genuine document in
getting employment into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366
and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws
of FCT Nigeria 2006.”
The accused person pleaded not guilty to all the charges when
they were read to him.
His counsel, Chidi Jude Dimgba, by way of oral application
prayed the court to grant his client bail.
Justice Osho-Adebiyi in her ruling, adjourned the case to 13th
June, 2019 for determination of the bail application.
Court strikes out N1bn Libel Suit against ICPC Spokesperson
The Honourable Justice Samira Bature of the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) High Court 37, sitting in Maitama has struck out a
lawsuit filed against the Spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mrs.
Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of
Pinnacle Communications Limited, Sir Lucky Omoluwa.
Sir Omoluwa had instituted a N1billion libel suit against the
Commission’s spokesperson, claiming that the statement credited to
her that he (Omoluwa) had repeatedly failed to honour ICPC’s
invitations to explain his role in an alleged N2.5billion Digital
Switch Over fraud was malicious, false and intended to disparage
his person.
In a Suit No: CV/578/18, the Pinnacle boss had sought the relief
of the court to order Okoduwa to pay him the above sum of money as
damages for what he termed “libelous publication” against him.
Rasheedat A. Okoduwa
Other reliefs sought by the plaintiff included: An order of
public apology; retraction and rebuttal of the libelous
publication, statements on the Commission’s website, some major
Nigerian newspapers, and online platforms for seven days; and an
order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, her
cronies, group of people, agency or anyone however called through
the ICPC website or any website or news media used or that may be
used by the defendant, from further publishing or disseminating the
libelous material or similar ones against the claimant
forthwith.
However, after filing, the claimant appeared to have abandoned
the case by his constant refusal to appear in court for
inexplicable reasons.
When the case came up for definite hearing on Tuesday 28th May,
2019, both the claimant and his counsel were again absent in court
without any notice to the court or reasons for their absence.
In view of the above, counsel to the respondent, E.A. Shogunle
and N.C. Okere, Esq. prayed the court to strike out the suit for
lack of diligent prosecution.
The court agreed with the defence counsel that the claimant had
lost interest in his claim having been consistently absent in court
on several occasions without reason. The judge therefore struck out
the case for want of diligent prosecution and also awarded cost of
N25,000 against the plaintiff.
Signed: Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission